Prometheus: Afterglow
by zzetta13
Summary: Elizabeth Shaw returns to her home planet a celebrity, yet she is not cut out to be in the spotlight. An opportunity presents itself in the form of a new adventure. Does she have the desire to take the plunge back into the cosmos? Maybe a little friendly persuasion will help her decide.
1. Chapter 1

_**Prometheus: Afterglow**_

"_**Return to Earth" **_

_**Author's note: "Prometheus: Afterglow, Return to Earth" is the continuing fan induced saga of the Prometheus film, and is an AU in construction. I am hoping to continue this fan-fiction, and am hoping that it meets with your approval. Also, it will continue to have characters of the Prometheus movie, (I won't name them at this point) and, as I enjoy playing with other characters from the entire Alien franchise, some of those characters as well. The arc will border AU (alternate universe) perspective, meaning I do not know myself where it will go, ideas come, some are used, but some are lost, still my intent will be to try to keep it interesting. I would like to thank so many of the people that have read and continue to read these constructs of mine, and seem to enjoy them for the most part, I do appreciate you all, Z**_

_**PS: As a reminder….for this, "new " beginning to make sense, the reader will likely need to be familiar with the Prometheus: Aftermath series on this site, found here, in this category. Also I would like to express, that when reading the sub-chapter "Princess", that you visualize Katniss Everdeen on stage with Caesar Flickerman in "The Hunger Games" movie. Only, Elizabeth Shaw will be in a white sequin dress rather than red one. That's just as my brain sees it, thank you, Z.**_

****************_ Return to Earth _*****************

_Returning to Earth was a mixed bag of emotions for Elizabeth Shaw. She could hardly set foot on the planet without thinking of the people she'd left behind, Charlie Holloway, Janek and all of the others, and David… _

_Yes David was a person to her, not an android to be seen as cold and heartless. He had a heart, and it had beaten within a chest of honor and dignity. It almost brought her to tears when she thought of her feelings for him._

_Now she was here, on her home world, and feeling emotionally compromised. She was about to exit shuttle 123, the vessel she and Dr. Samantha Canter had used to ferried themselves from Gateway, to the planet's surface. It was also the shuttle they had used to leave Luna, where they had brought the Norseman to dock (at a Weyland station upon the moon)._

_The Norseman was considered Weyland-Yutani property, although the military had disputed rights to the craft after its departure from Ivy Station and its long venture to Luna. There was sensitive information aboard, information wished to be recovered by the military. Still, the courts had bargained with Weyland Industries….and the judgment had been deemed in his favor. The ship was brought to Earth's satellite, where Elizabeth had been transported to a Luna hospital on shuttle 123. Enroot she had been informed that she had lost her unborn child (during prolonged hyper sleep) and Dr. Canter had been forced to remove the deceased fetus from her body. _

_The saga of her life had become a living hell. Elizabeth was beginning to question her reasons for being born in the first place? Thinking back, she remembered ripping the crucifix from her chest and flinging it across the shuttle. There was no God in her eyes anymore, no mysterious dominating creator of the universe. Her father had lied to her all this time, forced her to believe in an entity that cared not, for its own creation. The symbol of her belief had been flung against the interior of the vessel's hull, impacting the wall and had fallen behind a cabinet, and there it had remained._

_Elizabeth Shaw had lost her child, had lost David, and now she was on the verge of losing her sanity. How could she step out of shuttle 123 and greet the masses of people that she was told, had gathered to meet her here, on Earth as a hero? She did not know if she could? She had heard that she had been deemed a woman larger than life by the population of Earth, a god herself; she couldn't really stomach the idea. In a few moments the shuttle doors would open and she would be faced with a sea of imagers (photographers) and seekers of news. The inquiries of who might rattle her soul. What did these people know of her? What did they want? In her eyes she was no hero, only a survivor. She had survived where so many others had not. Before Liz could contemplate more of her feelings, the doors to the shuttle opened, and she was cast into a sea of almost cosmic illumination._

****************_ Princess _*****************

_The noise outside was surreal, the cheers, and the shouts boiled into a sea that became almost overwhelming. Elizabeth stepped out onto a platform that had been specifically constructed for her return. Even though it was night, she looked out over a vast ocean of faces and heads. There was applause and cheers that lasted almost a full ten minutes, then the sound subsided and she was requested to enter center stage. There had been "angled voice boxes" placed around the floor, to pick up any word she might utter (even below a whisper) and any gasp that might come from her throat….and every breath that expelled from her lungs. The Media Event was meant to capture every emotion of her return, every drama, every adventure, and every detail. The populace was in love with a person they only knew as Commander Shaw. They had placed her upon a pedestal of goddess worship._

_Elizabeth was nearly petrified, representatively speaking; she felt the weight of the world being pressed upon her shoulders. As she stood there, she was horrified that no words would come out of her mouth. She needed worry, the reporters had plenty. Their questions came rapidly, and were so merged that she almost needed distinguished pause between each query. Doctor Canter stepped up and took control, Elizabeth appreciated that she had done this; she drifted into the background a bit, fading to a more of a submissive role._

_The space adventure become goddess was not sure she could handle her new found celebrity. She looked over at Samantha; the red glitter gown she was wearing was beautiful. It hugged her body and formed every curve; the length of it swept the platform with a kiss of pure delight. Elizabeth looked down at her own gown. It was beautiful also; it's white sequin a sparling mirror image of the good doctor's. The whole greeting affair was quite the occasion, and Doctor Canter knew how to handle the interrogation nicely. This gave Elizabeth the opportunity to stand back and study the physician. _

_Canter seemed to be in her element, the bright lights and roar of the crowd, she seemed to absorb the hero worship rather well. To greet it like it was her own, almost as if she'd been the one to survive all of the drama and hardships of almost ten years of cosmic exploration, almost as if she were Elizabeth Shaw herself. Elizabeth had a moment to reflect upon this. _

_How had her popularity soared into the stratosphere when she had been the only surviving member of a failed mission? The only person who had survived the ill-fated expedition of Prometheus? Elizabeth was surprisingly stricken by a question coming from a reporter in the front row._

"…_.and has Miss Shaw decided that she will be accompanying the exploration crew of Prometheus 2?"_

_That question was immediately followed and emphasized by queries of similar sort, and the muddling's of people wanting to know._

_Samantha looked over at the shy guest of honor, and then turned to address the question herself…._

"_She isn't sure at this moment. Further detail into the mission needs to be determined," she said, then added, "but I'm sure a solid decision will be forthcoming soon," the pretty doctor smiled._

_Elizabeth looked at the woman standing in her glory, in her stead, not that she minded. Elizabeth felt very uncomfortable being in the spotlight. She was a scientist, archeologist, an explorer, not a screen actress. She was happy that Samantha had taken point to address the media. Also she had not been told of Prometheus 2, or a second mission. This was news to her as well._

_Then there was a question directed towards the Doctor…_

"_Doctor Canter, what of you, and the crew that escaped Fury 161, will you be a member of the Prometheus 2 crew, and will you be journeying into the unknown, as Peter Weyland has suggested?"_

_Doctor Samantha Canter stood there debating the question in her mind. It was the first time Elizabeth had seen her wane in answering a question, then she recovered and answered quickly._

"_Well as you know, Fury 161 was not known by that name when we were station on that heartbreak of a rock. It was called Greys Sparrow during our tour, and speaking of heartbreaks, you do know that Lieutenant Anthony Fish was lost to his injuries on the journey home," Samantha stopped to wipe a tear from her cheek, then continued, "the remaining crew, myself, Miss Shaw, and our pilot Ensign Lara Jenkins, who was killed in a tragic accident on Luna, were the only three to return," she stopped._

"_For now that is all I can tell you, I am unsure if I care to be counted among the crew of Mr. Weyland's next expedition, we shall see…," she said, then she waved to the audience and began to remove herself from center stage. _

_The crowd began to blast for more Elizabeth Shaw, and for more Samantha Canter for that matter. But the women were inclined not to retake the stage. There were questions to be answered, and questioned to be asked, not only by Liz, but by Samantha Canter as well._

_END PART 1_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Prometheus: Afterglow**_

"_**Wine & Roses" **_

_**Author's note: "Wine & Roses" is the second chapter of the "Afterglow" series. It is more about the settling down of Elizabeth, and her future outlook of what she sees as her life upon Earth, her home planet. She had spent so many years traveling out in the cosmos that she truly feels as if the knows nothing else. Just like the sailors of old that sailed the seas of our world, being docked in one port for too long feels like it's driving her crazy. She has a way out; she can join the new crew of Prometheus 2 (The ship is being fit tested at a Weyland station on Luna right at this time). She isn't sure she wants that. Weyland has offered her a second chance at a new journey, and Samantha too. So far both women have refused, yet things are brewing on the horizon, let's see what happens.**_

****************_ Wine & Roses _*****************

_She slid her card-key through the slot. She then placed the tip of her index finger into the reading port, a small hole on the right side of the door jamb. Instantly it established her sex, fingerprint pattern and blood type, the door clicked open and she entered the apartment._

_The interior lighting was set to "low-dim"….dark, but not very. It was purposely set in this manner to create a mood of intimacy and romance, yet she wondered why she'd programed it that way before leaving? She really was in no mood for romance, or intimacy, and, at this moment, she cared not for the company of anyone. Maybe she had assumed that she would want company, but had changed her mind?_

_Elizabeth Shaw had been back on earth for a total of sixty two days. She had been bombarded with endorsements and date request. It seemed that every available bachelor had wanted to date her. Have her escort upon his arm, to the most regalia of events the city had going at this time. Elizabeth had turned them down, all. Her emotional interest were not to the point of allowing invades into her inner core. This made her seemingly appear as a cold, stuck-up bitch, an ice queen too good for anyone. But that wasn't really the case. The populace had no understanding of what she'd been through. Had no idea of the traumatic experiences she that had occurred to her, experiences that haunted her still. She had nearly become a recluse, but, not entirely. She did venture out on occasion, having dinner with Samantha, or taking walks alone in the park, but still keeping some relationships at a distance at this point. _

_Elizabeth knew that in order to recover mentally, she have to become more public. Her monthly psych evaluations were easily passible, yet, unknown to the doctors, sometimes she felt on the edge of emotional breakdown. What suitor would want to be with her if she lost control while on a pleasure cruise, or while walking down the red carpet on someone's arm? Society did not set her up as a hero, as someone special, to watch as she melted down into a bowl of insanity. Heroes didn't do that, they knew how to handle stress and pressure. Elizabeth did not want her next residence to be of four walls made out of a rubber. She looked around her apartment; she had just arrived back from a dinner engagement with Doctor Canter. _

_Elizabeth and Samantha had become very good friends, not like sisters, but close. She and Sam had gone out to a fancy restaurant, and had dressed to kill, not literally of course. Hopes were that one of them, or both, would be approached by a handsome, suave gentleman and possibly swept off her feet. That might have been the reason that she had subconsciously set the lights in her apartment down to low. However, Prince Charming had not shown up, neither did any knight in shining armor, for either of them. The two attractive female had enjoyed their dinner, and each other's company but that was all. Now she was home._

_Liz had not pushed romance out of her life, but she still continued to live with guilt, and a question. Why had she not perished along with all of the other crew of Prometheus? Why had she lived? Survivor's guilt was a son-of-a -bitch, every face she encountered reminded her of someone of that ill-fated mission. In crowds she would look to see if she could see David's face, was she becoming delusional?_

_Unlike humans, robots didn't die; they just fell by the wayside, unused and rusty. Was David actually a pile of metal somewhere, incapable of moving yet with a spark of life still within him? She compared many faces to his, the smile, the expression, the very deep pools of blue of his eyes, pools that she could get lost in. Even though she was sure that the android was fitted with fluid heaters, warmers that would tone the skin to make it feel real, his touch had been real to her. She didn't care that it was synthetic. _

_Elizabeth walked over and set her card-key on the small table next to the white couch. There was a machine on that small table, a message collector. It had recorded the words of suitors that day, suitors who had called wanting to impress her with their charm, suitors that expressed a desire to take her out, accompany them to dinner, or a fancy ball. There were ten linier lights on the cover of the machine, all were blinking red. Pressing the display button she actually could see that there were thirty calls in all._

_She fixed herself a drink, sat in the chair across from the message machine; she pressed the play button on the remote. Thirty messages, maybe she would listen to half of them tonight, the other half tomorrow? Sometimes they were important, so she dare not delete them without checking to see what they were about. The first three inquiries were about dates, she skipped them quickly. The forth was about endorsing some survival gear. Rugged clothing that would hold up in heavy terrain, she'd have Bob, her agent, look into that one. The next ten were all dates; she breezed through them after the first few words. Number fifteen was the last one for tonight; she was getting a little tired. She would listen to that one and then get ready to retire to her bedroom…_

"_Hello Miss Shaw," the message began, "you don't know me, but in a way I think you do. My name's Theo, or Theodor actually, and I sure would like to get together with you over dinner sometime. The sooner the better, let's say as soon as tomorrow night, if that's possible? I think that you are a pretty lady and a night out with you would be very enjoyable. Still, that is not why I've made contact with you. This meeting would be more an informational deal, yes I said meeting Miss Shaw, not date, something more on a professional level. You see I've been contacted by someone on Luna, someone who had me seek you out, someone who has information for you, and wants you to go to Luna and meet them, face to face. I have no earthly idea why, seems a bit secretive and spy related to me. Anyway I am only to present to you their location and a call-sign. That's what the dinner is for, to convey that information and a few other things, that is, if you're interested. It is very important that you go to Luna. Get back to me whenever you can, and just so that you know, my full name is Theodor Janek. My brother had been the pilot of Prometheus."_

_Elizabeth dropped her glass of scotch on the floor; thank goodness the glass had been empty._

_END PART 2_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Prometheus: Afterglow**_

"_**Luna" **_

_**Author's note: First of all I want to thank the people that are following this story arc, in particular the people who have left reviews, Xahraxs, David 8 and Xeno Angel, I appreciate your words. **_

_**The next thing I want to do is give Xeno Angel somewhat of an answer to the review question that was posted for chapter 2. In the work below I believe that you will find an answer to that question, thanks for the feedback, Z.**_

****************_ Luna _*****************

_The Year 2104, the date, February 13, Elizabeth Shaw looked out of the shuttle window onto a world which had orbited planet Earth for almost four and a half billion years. Luna, it was said to have been born in the aftermath of two worlds colliding. But she wasn't thinking of that, she was thinking of all the songs which had been written over the millennia about the romance and allure of earth's satellite. It was really beautiful as seen from out here, or when being viewed from earth, still she wished that a certain someone was here with her at this moment, to witness the sight too._

_Hours ago, after a quick stopover on Gateway (only a six stage atmospheric laboratory station at this time) Elizabeth had taken shuttle 123 back to the world of its origin, Luna. She thought about the meeting she'd had with Theodor Janek the night before. He had been a nice man, and the relative resemblance to his brother was uncanny. She could have picked him out in a crowd any day._

_The dinner/meeting had gone well, and although it had been pleasant, Theodor had been right; it had been conducted in a strictly professional manner. He had told her that couldn't tell her much about his informant, only that the individual seemed to stress that meeting her was very important, and that she needed to make a visit to Luna as quickly as possible. _

_There were other things he had thrown along into the conversation, things that had convinced Elizabeth that this was a legitimate endeavor. He had spoken of private things, things that only someone who'd been aboard Prometheus would know, or things told to them by someone who had been there. An example, certain conversations she'd had onboard the vessel. Not private conversations, but certainly things that would not be known outside the circle the crew. Still, all the people of that ill-fated mission were gone, so who could have known what had happened on that vessel? She found it perplexing, and it implored her to make the journey to Luna. _

_After dinner Elizabeth had gone back to her apartment, she had checked messages. Oddly the third message was from Samantha. It wasn't strange to hear from her friend, but the purpose for Sam's call caught her off guard. Samantha informed her that she was going on a trip; a trip she hoped would be exciting and fun. At the moment of the message, Doctor Canter was busy getting her things together, and hadn't time to explain the details. She insisted that she would call again later, when she was more settled. _

_Elizabeth could tell that she was happy and ready to begin her experience. Maybe some mysterious stranger was taking her on a cruise? Or maybe some rich sophisticate had made arrangements to meet her, and she was thrilled at the opportunity of making his acquaintance? Whatever the reason, Elizabeth was glad for her friend, and also glad to see that she was ready to move on with her life. Samantha had become a bit of a celebrity herself. The message also made Liz realize that she needed to get packing too, she was going to Luna. She had made arrangements after leaving dinner with Theo to rent a vehicle. Shuttle 123, the old craft that had flown her from Luna to Earth was still available. She posted the credits for the vessel and it was being prepped for her trip in the morning. That night Elizabeth got ready for her journey, and then retied to bed. She had packed enough cloths to last for several days. _

_She shuttled off from Earth in the twilight hours, and as mentioned, after a quick stopover on Gateway, she had resumed her flight towards Luna. _

_Elizabeth was approaching the moon now…still with a bit of apprehension, she was wondering what she was getting herself into?_

**************** _The Apollo _*****************

_The landing was soft and gentle; Port Olympia was a well-managed landing zone. She checked her baggage and headed for the comforts of her room, which was on the third floor of the Enterprise Hotel. Janek had told her that her informant would make first contact. That she should sit and wait until that happened. _

_Now, after sitting in her room for six hours, with no contact, she could feel the pangs of hunger starting to ascend upon her. Elizabeth decided that no matter how important this was, it might be better handled on a full stomach, letting herself starve to death would kinda defeat the purpose. She brought up a list of restaurants on the room monitor. It just so happened that on the bottom floor of the Enterprise there was an excellent place to dine, The Apollo. _

"_The Apollo", one of the best restaurants in Olympia, had been established the day the "The Enterprise Hotel" had come into existence. Elizabeth changed her cloths and went down to get some supper. _

_At the entrance to the restaurant she noticed the plants and flowers that aligned and walls, giving it that earth feel. The Apollo was not a Weyland owned business on Luna, nor was it operated by any of his kin or business associates. It was a separately owned entity on the small world, run by the Hicks family._

_The hostess met the archaeologist at the door, she asked for her name….._

"_Elizabeth, Elizabeth Shaw," Liz spoke._

"_Nice to see you Miss Shaw," she smiled, "I have just the booth for you."_

_Liz felt a bit strange with the girl saying that, like the place was already set up for her to be there. It made her a bit paranoid, but then, maybe this woman was just commenting on her celebrity, and she, was just letting her nervous jitters get the better of an unusual situation?_

_The woman led Elizabeth to a booth, and assisted her seating._

"_A waitress will be with you soon," she spoke, "will anyone be joining you Miss Shaw?"_

_Elizabeth looked at her…._

"_No, I don't think so, least I've made no plans."_

"_Ok, let me know if there's anything you need," the waitress smiled again, and then was gone._

_Elizabeth retrieved a menu. It sported the finest in cuisine. She looked at the seafood choices._

"_Seafood on the moon, who would have thought," she entertained the idea with a grin. _

_The whole restaurant was adorned with imagery and history of the Apollo space program. She looked up to the image that was framed on the wall above her booth, her eyes widened and she choked down an emotional response. She didn't know whether to smile, or be leery?_

"_Apollo 13, on February 13__th__," she paused, "… I hope this is not a bad omen," she spoke quietly?_

_After four minutes a waitress came. She was a cute girl with short dark hair._

"_Ready to order Miss Shaw" she inquired?_

"_Not sure quite what I want," Liz spoke, still viewing the menu._

"_May I suggest the swordfish, "the waitress conducted, "Myth here on Luna says that its ancestors were speared by the lightning bolt of Zeus himself, which is why the snout resembles a spear or sword?" she paused, then continued, "that was before the god Prometheus stole the big guy's fire of course, and gave it to humanity as a gift."_

_Elizabeth's mouth dropped open. This was the call-sign she'd been instructed to look for by Janek, or something near to it. She looked at her waitress; a cute little grin emerged upon the woman's face._

"_Hello, I'm Doctor Rhoda Call, Miss Shaw. Actually it's P. Rhoda Call. Phyllis is my first name, but that's not important or the reason why I wanted you to come here," she glanced around, "I think we should seek out a more private venue to conduct our business, don't you?_

****************_ Are We The Threat? _****************

_Elizabeth Shaw had just met her contact. The two women had left the restaurant and were now heading down back alleys and side streets, avenues that brought a little concern to the archeologist. After a while they came to an apartment and Call ushered her inside._

"_Look, I'll explain more to you more in a while, but for now there's something I want you to see ," Rhoda pointed to a table with a viewing monitor sitting atop, "sit at that table and press play on the keyboard and focus on the monitor. I think things will become a little more clear for you once you've seen what's on that screen, now if you'll excuse me, I'll give you some privacy," and with this the informant left the room._

_Elizabeth did as instructed. She sat down and pressed play. The screen went from dark to blue, then some wording displayed on its blue field, "Previously Recorded Message", it said, and then a picture came up. It showed a man sitting in a small room facing away from the camera. He was wearing a cap, and was sporting some kind of uniform, grayish in color; it looked to be some sort of security uniform, or guard apparel._

"_Elizabeth my love, I hope that this does not to completely shock you…"_

_His words made an attempt at being soothing, but Elizabeth was shocked anyway, so stricken that she nearly fell out of her chair. There was no denying the relaxed monotone voice of the individual speaking. _

"_David!"_

_The man turned around. Yes, it was he. He just sat there a while, evidently letting her soak in the reality of it all. Of course since it was a recorded message, he could not know of her emotional state, or if she'd fainted? He paused only a moment before continuing…. _

"_Sorry my sweet Elizabeth, for coming at you like this, but there is a lot of ground to cover so please be patient and let me explain. I know there will be further questions after I'm though, Rhoda can help you with some of those. But first, obviously, know that I'm alive and doing well here on Fiorina161. I've taken a security position with the ore extraction company here. The complex is located next to a maximum class correctional unit. I won't go into the details of how I was able to do this, only know that it was done. Now…. on to what I want to tell you, as you are well aware, Weyland is putting a new crew together, and a new mission to venture out into the cosmos again, in this direction. He wants another shot at the engineers. He wasn't totally convinced that they understood his purpose, or reason for arriving on LV-233? He wants to arrange another contact. "David said, to took a break to let her haul it all in…..then started again _

"_But they understood well his "reasons" of wanting to make contact; yes I said reasons, plural. Not only did Weyland want to uncover the secrets to immortality, but he also wanted to get samples of the cosmic goo the engineers carried with them. Weyland has known about the aliens for years, I'll explain more about that later. He has made deals with the military, deals to find, cultivate, and exploit this organic material for the Bio Weapons Division. His daughter, Meredith was to take charge. Now that the mission of Prometheus 1 has failed, a new mission is about ready to launch, one that you need to be a part of. In my readings of the engineers' scribe, they do not want to destroy humanity, but they do want to stop us from destroying the living universe. They see us as fearsome creatures, powerful hungry to conquer and control, I don't think them wrong in that. They do not separate human individual personality, but lump us as a united group. They view all humanity, or constructs thereof, as dangerous."_

_Elizabeth could see the logic in his words, he began again…_

"_Weyland to them must be destroyed. Ironic now, don't you think, but Peter Weyland has been able to prolong his existence due to having certain parts of his body converged with synthetics. Each day he becomes more like me," David smiled, Elizabeth knew why she loved this man._

"_You must agree to become part of the crew of Prometheus 2," he continued, "I have more to tell you but you must agree to do this. You must sign up for that mission before it's too late. Get with Call, she can assist you, I will explain things to you further once this is has been completed."_

_The screen went dark._

_END PART 3_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Prometheus: Afterglow**_

"_**Chapter 4, Two Questions" **_

****************_ Two Questions _*****************

_Elizabeth Shaw had been joined by Dr. Phyllis Rhoda Call to assist her in signing up for the voyage of Prometheus 2. Not that the archaeologist needed assistance, but Rhoda was there anyway._

_They had nearly gone the full length of the application, and it was almost complete and ready to be submitted, however at the end there was a short questionnaire. It had only two questions, still, when scanning the inquiry Liz was a bit baffled, perplexed by what she saw. She had never filled out an application form that had contained such a thing. Still she read the first question, it asked, almost nonchalantly…_

"_Could you kill some: if yes, then list the reason(s) why?"_

_Rhoda Call stood over her shoulder, almost like a school teacher, and read the inquiry also. Then she questioned as to what would be Elizabeth's reply… _

"_Well, could you Miss Shaw. Could you, kill someone?"_

_Elizabeth pondered the question…_

"_Well, I don't know, I suppose that I could," she answered, "to save the life of a colleague, or my own," She thought about David. Could she kill someone in order to save the android's life, she knew that she could._

"_Yes, yes I could do it," she posted her answer and then added the reason why…_

_Reason(s): Self-preservation, to protect the health and safety of my own life, or that of a colleague._

_Next question, _

"_Could you murder someone: if yes, then list the reason(s) why…"_

_Elizabeth considered that this question was even more bizarre than the first. Killing someone to protect your own skin was one thing, but murdering someone was a completely opposite affair. It meant a different range of choices. Murder meant the planning and destroying of someone. What did this have to do with anything, did it concern the engineers? Was Weyland's Prometheus 2 mission out to seek revenge on the engineers? Elizabeth was curious, but she did not know how to reply to the question. She felt that if extinguishing the life of a space being meant preserving her own then she could do it, but that answer pertained more to the first question other than this one. The outright murdering of a living being just to be rid of the creature was beyond the scope of what she was prepared to do, and she was totally against it. If it meant her application failed, then she would have to connect to David in another way. She typed in "NO" for her second response._

"_So you're not a murderer," Call remarked seeing her answer._

"_No, only kill to preserve, not destroy," Liz said._

_The young Doctor Rhoda seemed happy with her reply._

****************_ Application Accepted _*****************

_Elizabeth awaited the response to her application…..an answer came quickly._

"_Welcome Miss Shaw, happy to have you aboard," a female synthetic voice announce. Elizabeth's application had been submitted and accepted. Now she was a verified member of the Prometheus 2 expedition. The manifest data gave her an option to view the roster of the crew-team that she would be working with. Elizabeth was curious, would Meredith Vickers or her sister Elaine be among the crew? She knew that that would be a bizarre occurrence in itself, but still, this whole trip had been a roller-coaster ride, yet to this point she had not left the surface of Luna. _

_Now, in her thirties, Elizabeth had learned to prepare for the obvious, yet leave some wiggle room for the unexpected, "Murphy's Law". It had become somewhat a chapter in her life, something that she could add to the pages of her bible. If something could possibly go wrong, then it would. The theoretical logic behind "Murphy's Law" was plain and simple…_

_**(When faced with an endeavor, goal or consequence of a situation, there stands, between its start and finish, a greater negative value at reaching a more favored outcome than positive. The completion will, more or less, not be achieved through smooth progression)**_

_In other words there would be stumbling stones. Elizabeth realized that this was a rather adverse way of looking at things, but then she did not retain the positive attitude that was part of her nature before becoming acquainted with Peter Weyland. _

_She brought up the list of accepted applicants; out of a roster of twenty-five team members of Prometheus 2, only two open spots remained. Of course Elizabeth could not imagine the amount of people who'd applied for the positions, or their credibility. __The assortment of individuals wanting to join the adventures of Prometheus 2 was likely as diverse as life in the ocean, a range of scientist to cowboys, of doctors to surfers. All had submitted their desires to accompany Weyland's second venture to LV-233, the applicants numbered in the tens of thousands. Still Weyland had his standards (although his moral fabric was a bit on the questionable side). Only a small group would be allowed to voyage with the ship, the most motivated and extremely talented of personnel. Peter Weyland did not plan for a second failure of this mission, but then he wasn't aware, at the moment, that Elizabeth Shaw had accepted his invitation. A seat had been left open for her; however the man had never expected that she would join the crew. Imagine his shock when he found out later that the archaeologist had signed onto the exposition._

_Elizabeth brought up the roster to see who her shipmates would be. She did recognize a few of names, fellow scientists that she'd worked with in the past. Whedon, Bailey, Finch, but there was one name that caught her eye…_

"_Edwin C. Bishop," she said, even though Call had left the room, Liz had spoken the name aloud, it sounded familiar, yet she couldn't quite grasp how she knew the individual. Elizabeth stopped suddenly; even though Bishop was still a mystery, as far as acquaintances go, the name below his was easily recognizable..._

"_Samantha A. Canter," Liz spoke, "So this is the adventure you were so excited about. This was the trip you were going to tell me about later. Well, Miss Canter, looks like you'll be able to tell me of your adventures in person," Elizabeth smiled…..and then right before her eyes a new entry entered onto the log._

"_Doctor Rhoda Call."The good doctor had sign-on to be a part of the crew just seconds after she had. Elizabeth viewed this in a somewhat apprehensive manner. She again voiced her opinion out loud…._

"_Well Miss Call, looks like you've become somewhat of a tag-along. Wherever I go, you seem to want to travel too. Are you protecting me, or are you a spy? I'll keep my guard up and only tell you the things that I want you to know. Peter Weyland is a vindictive man, are you in the service of his employ? Does Peter blame me for the failure of Prometheus 1," Elizabeth contemplated the question, "and is David at risk?"_

_The archaeologist again thought of the miracle of discovering David alive. She thought about God, and the divinity's strange way of manipulating the universe. She thought about how she'd taken her crucifix, the holy jewel given to her by her father, and having flung it across the structure of shuttle 123. Maybe she was wrong in casting it away? She wondered if it were still there? _

_Elizabeth decided that, when she headed to her room, on the third floor of the Enterprise Hotel, that she would make a stop at the Port Olympus hanger field, and find shuttle 123. She hoped to find her crucifix still there. Was it heavenly blessed object, or just her concoction of a good luck charm? Was her father still watching over his daughter, or was she just having illusions of hope? Elizabeth cared not to debate the subject, she only wished to find the holy object and restore it around her neck. Then, superstitions aside, she could begin this new adventure into the cosmos on a positive note. Maybe she had put too much emphasis on the negativity of "Murphy's Law"? Maybe she should curtail her judgment of the possibilities of all things going wrong? Then again, she realized that she could be more positive, yet retain her sense of remaining on guard. One did not take away from the other._

_She smiled as she heard Call reenter the room._

_END PART 4 _


	5. Chapter 5

_**Prometheus: Afterglow**_

"_**Chap 5-Revelations"**_

_**My thanks to everyone keeping up with this story arc (David 8, thanks for your reviews:) **_

****************_ Revelations _*****************

_The time, only a few days after leaving Port Olympia on Luna, the stage, onboard Prometheus 2, Peter Weyland's second mission on its way to LV-233…_

_The moment had come; it was nearing the initiation period, the time of going under, of disappearing into that other dark void of space, not the one of the physical cosmos, but the one of the dream realm, the slumber universe._

_Elizabeth Shaw really detested hyper-sleep, but it was a reality that was part of space travel. There were a multitude of reasons for a company to desire that their personnel entered into a hibernated condition. One being that it was more economical, a person's bodily impulses and reflexes slowed to the reaction of a crawl. Breathing became more relaxed, oxygen consumption reduced, and the heart dropped down to 26 bpm (beats per minute). Supply inventories were managed better, and the overall health of a person could be monitored during flight. Less interaction between the crew meant fewer opportunities for viruses and infection to spread, from a business point of view, why not put your employees to sleep?_

_The team of Prometheus 2 was five days out, five days escaped from the orbit of Luna. They had gathered in the galley and were enjoying their dinner…..that was when word came that this was their last meal, their final supper before entering into the "long rest", their last supper so to speak._

_Elizabeth's attitude towards hyper sleep was not a favorable one, and she was not alone in her dislike of the ritual. As she sat on the edge of her sleep-capsule she glanced around the snooze-chamber, as it was humorously referred to. The room was a sellout, every bed taken and every expression, like hers, seemed to be "Let's get this over with". She looked across the way at the fellow who would be her neighbor at rest._

_Reynold Rippler was a cowboy in every sense of the word. Hell, even sitting there in his sleep skivvies, getting the final once over from Doctor Canter he was wearing his cowboy hat, and not a new or clean thing sitting low upon his brow, but an antique and weather-beaten bit of head covering. He smiled as he noticed Elizabeth looking at him._

"_How about after our long rest you and I get together for a little revitalizing R&R time Miss Shaw?"_

_R&R time was a standing joke that had been introduced to the crew by the cowboy after he'd first come aboard. Rippler was the last to sign on to the Prometheus 2 crew, and he was sort of a loose cannon. Wild in his methods and somewhat reckless in his manner, yet he was a weapons expert that had even impressed the likes of Peter Weyland. Anyway, the R&R time reference was his vulgar, yet humorous way to explain Reynold Rippler time, meaning that the cowboy was maybe suggesting to Shaw that he and she should have some hook-up rendezvous after their long hyper-sleep. Ripper continued with his suggestion….._

"…_..I mean, after so long being in hibernation, maybe a bit of exercise might be in order, you know, to stimulate the senses, get the blood flow going again," he smiled after that last statement Doctor Canter turned to view Elizabeth as she administered a sedative into the arm of the cowboy. She had a slight grin on her face as well, yet Elizabeth was not happy with the good doctor at the moment. Fact was she wanted to choke the life out of her. Elizabeth thought back to the evening she and Call had submitted their applications to this mission. _

_After Rhoda had returned to Liz's room, the young doctor had escorted her back to the viewing monitor in the other room. There Phyllis had her sit again and view the screen. David's face appeared again, and his expression seemed a bit deeper this time._

"_Well my love," he began, "Call tells me that you answered all the questions for the expedition of Prometheus 2 favorably, and you've been accepted, that's great news. Now Liz, I must inform you of something that I'm sure will come as a complete and total shock to you," he paused, "but first I want you to view something."_

_David flipped a switch and on the screen there posted what appeared to be a birth acknowledgment. It listed the following information…_

_Father: Gordon Ripley._

_Mother: Yvonne Ripley._

_Grandmother: Iris Kendell._

_Name of Child: E. Ripley._

_Date of Birth, Location of Birth, Sex = Undeclared._

_Elizabeth was a bit confused by this, what did it have to do with anything? She heard David's voice again…_

"_Now, here's another birth acknowledgment just days after you arrived on the Norseman on Luna at Olympia, months ago," he added._

_Father: Gordon Ripley._

_Mother: Yvonne Ripley._

_Grandmother: Iris Kendell._

_Name of Child: Evan Ripley._

_Date of Birth- 2101, Location of Birth- Olympia, Sex - Male._

_The acknowledgment went away and Elizabeth again found herself looking into the deep blue eye of her beloved._

"_Evan is your son Elizabeth, our son…..stolen away from us by Doctor Canter under the orders of Peter Weyland. It occurred during the time of your hyper-sleep on the return trip of the "Norseman" to Luna. His adoptive parents, Gordon and Yvonne, under the employ of Weyland Industries, were instructed to take care and raise the child as their own. Gordon has since been given a new assignment. As an ore analytical engineer he has been tasked with improving the ore processors near a world that was undisclosed. It took a bit of my hacking ability, but I was able to discover the location of that world. It seems that Evan has an older step-sibling, a girl, a sister named Ellen Ripley. She is being raised and educated on earth, living with her grandmother, Mrs. Iris Kendell. Ellen was apparently spared the long voyage of traveling with her parents out into the void. Her mother and father may have thought it best for their daughter to remain in a more cohesive environment. Anyway I was able to hack into Iris Kendell's records and find out where our son has been taken, Thedus, a world rich in iron-ore. Gordon Ripley is spending five years in the service of Peter Weyland. Our son, nearly two years old now, has known only Gordon and Yvonne as his parents. My intent is for us to join together and go get our offspring. It is time we get our due from Weyland. I want nothing more than to be with you, and our son, we have to make it happen."_

_David stopped for a moment; he seemed to be searching for what to say next…_

"_The last two questions on the Prometheus application were designed by myself and Call. They do not appear on any other applicant's form. I did this to see if you could stomach the long flight knowing that Samantha Canter had betrayed you, betrayed us. It would not be good for you to take revenge on a woman that you are supposed to be so close to. We can deal with her treachery later; right now we must focus on getting our child."_

_David went on to discuss other information about their journey, but from that moment most of it turned into a blur for Elizabeth Shaw, mother of a young boy that she had not even been allowed to name. Now, back in the sleep-chamber of Prometheus 2 she looked over at the doctor as Sam finished up with Reynold Rippler. David had been right; at that very moment if she had had a weapon in her hands she might have been able to end the life of the good Doctor. Murder Samantha Canter right then and there. It may be a good thing that she was being put into hyper-sleep. This journey might not end well otherwise._

_Samantha came and stood next to her friend, as she saw it._

"_Well, are you ready for a good rest and pleasant dreams, or maybe dreams of revenge against the kind of people who aggravate you," Sam paused, and looked over at Reynold, "He really is a good guy you know, a bit pushy, but really, an OK fellow once you get to know him."_

_The Doctor looked back at Elizabeth. Sam studied her friend's eyes, yet could not tell what the archaeologist was thinking. The Doctor had been right, Elizabeth was thinking about revenge, but not against Reynold Rippler, no, his poor manner and faulty choice of words had nothing to do with the seething hatred she was now experiencing inside. That loathing was reserved for the person standing right next to her, her betrayer, Doctor Samantha Canter._

_END PART 5._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Prometheus: Afterglow**_

"_**Cold Storage" **_

_**Author's note: "Prometheus: Afterglow 6: Cold Storage" is up, my apologies for taking so long. David 8 thanks for your comments on chap 5, I always look forward to your reviews.**_

_**Now, "Cold Storage"….this chapter focuses a bit more on the details of space travel, at least in my opinion of what it would be like. Still, I hope to have added a little intrigue into the story plot. Anyhoo, this chapter, a bit more technical, I would not mind hearing from the space-savvy of the fan-fic universe. I am always blown away by the ideas that readers come up with, really fun and enjoyable. This fic focuses more on Elizabeth, and what she experiences when she wakes up, a mystery for sure, but is it really that? Read the story to see what happens, Z.**_

****************_ Cold Storage _*****************

_She took in a breath, the odd thing about that was….. That she consciously knew she was breathing. Taking in a breath of air was a reflex humans performed a million times a day; we did this without thinking, it was a normal functional response. _

_Elizabeth Shaw knew…. that if she were thinking about breathing, then she must be awake. She opened her eyes and was greeted with an inside view of the hyper-chamber in which she'd been hibernating. Her skin felt cold, but those were the conditions of hyper-sleep, cold and clammy, almost like a coffin. Effects brought on by the chemical injection of sustainable drugs introduced into the system. Drugs that brought one's form into "Cold Storage", then it was said, that an individual could be laid within the confinement of the hyper-chamber (or "Freezer" as it was commonly referred) and brought to the semblance of a near death experience. An individual's motor functions slowed to a mere fraction of what was the norm, the minimum of what was needed to sustain the physical form. It was the closest one could come to death without being dead. Maybe that was why she detested being confined within those tiny time-capsules; it reminded her of death, and being entombed within a casket._

_Elizabeth tilted her head to one side. There was a diagnostic panel located just to the right; the digital information displayed across its screen diagnosed her health and condition. The monitor-readout proclaimed that she was fit, and in excellent health considering that she'd been asleep for eight months. _

_Eight months, one third the way to LV-223. It was customary to revive individuals during long durations of space travel, at least twice during a two year period. Get them up and moving about for an expanse of two to three days, or seventy-two hours if one preferred to judge space-time in that fashion. The purpose, to get the blood flowing again, through the body in an upright position, prolonged periods of time, where the body did not move, had proven unsatisfactory. There were plenty of test rats and cats on earth in wheelchairs if one cared to do the research (just joking, no offence intended). _

_Being the terra-firma creatures that we are, humans were accustomed to gravity…. that force on earth that pulls on our physical forms and strengthens our bones. Without gravity our bodies would be but a bowl of Jelly. Vast periods without the force of gravity causes deterioration of our skeletal structure and our bones, our forms would become brittle and unable to hold up our frames. There wasn't much sense in humans becoming inhabiters of dozens of worlds if when we arrived we couldn't walk the planet's sandy beaches, or climb its majestic mountains. What purpose could we achieve if we could not gain a foothold, literally?_

_With the introduction of certain fluids into the system and the assistance of artificial gravity, physical regression could be delayed, its effects not so catastrophic. Still, research by the CSHD (Cosmic Study of Human Development) proclaimed that regular "break" periods from hyper-sleep helped to maintain universal space health. It was proven to be essential in maintaining the physical form, and also, the health of the brain as well._

_Elizabeth believed that her return to consciousness was the result of one of these "breaks" periods, a program designed to wake her up at a certain time. She used her index finger to press a button on the side panel of the sleep-chamber. In an instant her bio-readout appeared in the poly-cast of the capsule above her head….ingenious how someone had figured out that the bio-information could be reflected onto the glass of the hyper-chamber. She could now read all of her bio-information straight in front of her without turning her head. The red, green and blue lines and numbers indicated her blood-pressure, heart rhythm, calorie intake (intravenous feeding during the hyper-cycle) and brain function, which indicated that she was in "Awake & Alert" status. Glancing at the duration read-out Elizabeth could see that it had been eight months, two days since she'd been laid to rest for "Hyper-Travel", or sleep mode. The ship was one third its journey to LV-223. She was hoping that Call was awake too, and that the young doctor could update her about information on David8._

_Elizabeth glanced around the clear poly-cast of the hyper-chamber, odd that it was coated with a thin film of condensed water droplets, this was confusing to her. The "Vapor Density Controller" of the ship must be malfunctioning. The due-point arrestor filters must be dirty. Strange, wasn't someone suposed to maintain clean filters? There was always an amount of moisture left in the air when cosmic probes (spacecrafts) journeyed to the dark reaches of space. The human skin (and lungs) could not tolerate atmospheres for long periods of time without some sort of humidity in the air, yet the mist that covered Elizabeth's sleep capsule was excessive. It totally blocked her view of the outside, and it reminded her of the inside of a greenhouse, light filtered in, but she could not see out. She brought her finger to the inside surface of the poly-plexcite, it was dry; the dampness all on the outside. It almost presented the case that she was lying encapsulated within a tropical jungle, of course she knew that this wasn't true, she could still hear the humming of the ship's ion drive motors, however, it was perplexing?_

_Then Elizabeth glanced up beyond her straight line of vision and she noticed the "red"…..a palm-print of a crimson silhouette, just above. It reminded her of the finger paintings she and her classmates used to make when she was a young child in school. She remembered that some of her school chums would dip their hands fully into the paint and then press their palms onto the art paper. It would leave an imprint of their palm and fingers; only this was not paint class, and the crimson was not from red pigmented paint, it was blood._

_Elizabeth could see where the dampness of the poly-cover had allowed some of the blood to streak down and make an eerie design on the glass. It convinced her that someone had suffered a catastrophic injury. She was near petrified with fear. Something had happened on the ship, it had caused the humidity arrestors not to be changed, and now she had discovered a bloody human palm-print on the outside of her hyper-capsule. The nightmare of her life was returning, only this time she didn't have the comfort of an android to help her out._

_END PART 6_


End file.
